Childbirth in Nepal

This article provides a background on Nepal as a whole, with a focus on the nation’s childbearing and birthing practices. While modern Western medicine has disseminated across the country to varying degrees, different regions in Nepal continue to practice obstetric and newborn care according to traditional beliefs, attitudes, and customs.

Indigenous Nepali theories of illness differ from that of the modern Western world. They do not believe in the germ theory; instead, they believe that illness is caused by malevolent powers that enter the body, disturbing the normal balance and creating sickness. It is up to the healer (dhami-jhankris) to try to release the malevolent power that is causing disease and restore balance in the body system to make it function normally again. These indigenous beliefs are similar to the faith healing traditions still practiced today. Faith healing is based on the belief that illness is due to attacks by different types of spirits. The healers must identify the type of spirit and make an offering to appease the spirit or forcibly remove the spirit with a spirit bone (usually a human femur). These rituals often include colorful costumes, chanting, singing, dancing and drumming, as well as a sacrifice of a rooster or a black goat. These ceremonies are done by dhami-jhankri (shamans), pandit-lama-gubhaju-pujari (priests of different ethnic and religious groups), and jyotishi (astrologers).

There are two other main healing traditions in Nepal, namely Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine, and faith healing. Ayurveda is based on the tridosha theory of disease, where the three doshas, or humors, are vata (wind), pitta (gall) and kapha (mucus). Disturbance is the equilibrium of these humors results in disease. The traditional healers can be divided into faith healers and medical providers. The medical providers include Baidhya-Kabiraj, who use elixirs, metal preparations and herbs to treat illness, and Jadi-butiwala, who only use herbs for treatment. Tibetan medicine (gso ba rig pa) is based on the belief that the physical world, including our bodies, are a product of our individual perception and it is the mind that brings on illness to the body. The Tibetan medical practitioners, Amchis, help direct the patient towards increased self-awareness to restore balance and harmony between the body and the forces of the universe.

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